ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College women's basketball team avenged its loss to Stevens Institute of Technology from earlier this season with a convincing 74-53 victory inside Ben Light Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon. In a battle of top teams in the conference, Ithaca improves its record to 18-3 overall and 10-2 in the Empire 8, while Stevens drops to 11-9 and 10-2.

Stevens won the opening tap and immediately went to the line to build a 2-0 lead just three seconds in. Ithaca answered with an 8-0 run in a three-minute stretch on multiple backdoor passes that led to layups from senior Erin Ferguson and junior Jordan Beers (two) and Julie Yacovoni.

After Stevens ended the run, senior Ali Ricchiuti drilled a 3-pointer to give Ithaca an 11-4 lead with 5:36 to play. The Ducks pulled back to within a 13-9 difference at the 2:27 mark, but the Bombers went back up by six on a layup from senior Shayna Gaskins just 28 seconds later.

With the score in favor of Ithaca, 15-9, the Ducks had a chance to trim their deficit with no time remaining in the period but missed both attempts at the line.

Ithaca outrebounded Stevens, 15-9, in the quarter.

Stevens found its offensive groove in the second period and outscored Ithaca, 19-10, to take a slim 28-25 lead to the break. The Ducks quickly knotted up the contest at 15-15, but Ithaca immediately regained the advantage on a basket from freshman Cassidy O'Malley.

The Ducks tied the contest up once again at 17-17, and then took the lead on a 3-pointer with 5:50 on the clock. Sophomore Meghan Mazzella brought things back to a deadlock with a 3-pointer of her own, but Stevens came right down the floor and connected from range to go ahead, 23-20.

There would be a three-minute scoring drought for both sides until Stevens found the bottom of the net to mount a 25-20 lead with 2:06 to play. Ithaca and Stevens would make two baskets on each side of the floor for the remainder of the half, as Stevens took a 28-25 edge to the locker room.

Ithaca came out of the break with an 8-0 run to take a 33-28 lead and never looked back, as the Bombers outscored Stevens, 30-10, in the third quarter. Ricchiuti led the comeback with 10 points on 4-of-5 shooting in the stanza, while Beers, Yacovoni and Ferguson each added five points.

The Bombers shot 12-for-19 (63.2-percent) in the quarter, while Stevens went just 4-for-13 (30.8%). Twelve of Ithaca's 30 points came off turnovers.

It took Ithaca just 39 seconds into the fourth quarter to build a 20-point lead, as Beers scored three straight points to make the score 58-38. The Ducks could only pull to within a 17-point spread the remainder of the game. Ithaca notched its largest lead of the contest at 69-45 with 4:50 left in the game.

The Bombers ended the crucial victory with a 3-pointer from Beers and basket by Ricchiuti.

Overall, Ithaca shot 41.3-percent (31-for-75), while it out-rebounded Stevens 46-to-38 in the contest. IC outscored the Ducks 49-25 after halftime to pull away late.

Beers finished with a game-high 22 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field, while she also chipped in one rebound and one steal. Ricchiuti came just shy of notching a double-double in a monster performance. She ended the day with 19 points and nine boards, while she also dished out five assists and swiped four of IC's 13 steals in the game.

Yacovoni and Ferguson each added seven points in the low post, with Ferguson chipping in three rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Gaskins ended the game with six points and nine rebounds.

Ithaca returns to action Tuesday, February 7, when it welcomes Elmira College for a 6:00 p.m. tip at Ben Light Gymnasium.